The beginning
by starryblossoms
Summary: The prologue of sorts to Sickness Strikes and Falling
1. Chapter 1

**Sorry I haven't updated Falling in so long. As a consolation here's a story about how Orochimaru was discovered to be innocent of the crimes he was accused of.**

**I don't own Orochimaru or any of the others!**

"As to why I have to walk around back here I have yet to know." Orochimaru grumbled as he walked thought the darkened hallways behind the hokage monument. "Jiraiya left the note why couldn't he come back here himself." he continued his rant. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks and sniffed the air suspiciously.

"What is that smell?" he murmured to himself continuing to sniff the air and following the scent down the hall and to a closed door. 'It stops here.' he thought to himself staring apprehensively at the door he stood in front of. Orochimaru took a deep breath and opened the door and gasped in horror.

"Have you seen Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked as soon as Jiraiya came into the training grounds. "He was supposed to meet us here five minutes ago." she said biting her lip worriedly. A Jiraiya looked at her oddly.

"That odd he's never late, if anything he's always early." Jiraiya stated beginning to look a little worried himself. Tsunade sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sure he's just running late, probably nothing to worry about." she then said unable to shake off the bad feeling that something big was about to happen. Jiraiya just nodded and got into his fighting stance watching as Tsunade did the same. 'Its probably nothing, but I can't shake the feeling that something horrible is going to happen today.'he thought nervously as they began to spar.

"Hokage-sama,we have found the kidnapper we believe and we think we may have discovered his hide out." The Hokage looked up at his ninja and nodded.

"Who is it?" he asked the anbu fearing that he already knew the answer. The anbu nodded and opened the scroll and carefully told his hokage the named on it and all the information they had been gathering on the person.

Sarutobi sighed and nodded looking out his window towards the hokage monument as the anbu finished telling him the information.

"Lets go see him then." he said wearily and they all shot towards the monument.

Orochimaru looked around the room in which he stood in horror. "W..who could have done this?" he gasped staring at the mutilated bodies of his fellow ninja with a mixture of horror, disgust, and pity.

"This is horrible, I have to tell sensei." he whispered to himself spinning around and jumping when his sensei walked into the room.

The older ninja looked around the room in shock and then focused his gaze on the sannin in front of him.

"Orochimaru, what have you done." he asked still a little shocked. Orochimaru stared at his sensei confused.

"What I've done?" he asked shell shocked "Sensei, I haven't done any thing. I didn't do any of this." Orochimaru whispered sounding vaguely hurt by the accusation. Sarutobi shook his head sadly and looked at his former student.

"The anbu have proof that this is all your doing. I have to side with them this time." he said sadly . Orochimaru looked all but devastated.

"Sensei you know me, you know I wouldn't do this!" Orochimaru cried feeling so betrayed by the anbu and his sensei. Sarutobi shook his head and sighed feeling so much older than he did when he got up that morning.

"I thought I did." he said ignoring the hurt look on the sannin's face. "I have to take you in for questioning." he finished looking up at the sannin determinedly.

"How can you believe I'd do this! How can you?" that sannin yelled glaring. "You're not taking me in to question me about something I didn't even do!" he shouted suddenly furious at his sensei, his surrogate father for accusing him of these horrible things.

Sarutobi sighed again frowning he took a step towards Orochimaru. "Please just make it easy and come with us he whispered softly. Orochimaru snarled and began to make hand signs in quick succession. A blast of air shot though the room and Orochimaru was gone.

Sarutobi sighed and looked around the room. 'What kind of monster have you become Orochimaru.' he thought to himself sadly as he left the room.

Orochimaru ran though the wood of Konoha gasping for air. How could he think 'I would do that?' he thought as he stopped to catch his breath. He nearly bolted when he heard a twig snap from behind him. He spun around and came face to face with Jiraiya.

"What are you doing here?" Orochimaru whispered trying to fight back a smile. 'Finally someone who will believe me!' he thought happily. Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru worriedly and then frowned.

"Sensei told me what you did. How could you?" He questioned staring at him in disbelief. Orochimaru's eyes widened and he all but gasped.

"I didn't do those things! I got a note from you telling me to go get a scroll for you behind the hokage monument! I swear I'm being setup." Orochimaru cried heart sinking when Jiraiya began to shake his head**. **

"I never sent you a note. There's no point trying to lie Orochimaru. Your finger prints were all over the things in that lad and all the evidence leads to you." he said quietly.

Orochimaru began to tremble hurt and anger fighting for dominance within him. Anger finally won and he lashed out.

"So you don't believe me either? You're supposed to be my best friend! How can you not believe me?" he shouted glaring at Jiraiya as he paced angirly. Jiraiya sighed softly and looked at the enraged sannin.

"All the evidence points to you we dont have any choice other than to believe you did it." he said frowning a little. "Why can't you just admit it?" he said more quietly. Orochimaru shook his head frowning softly.

"I should have known better than to trust anyone." he said glaring once more at Jiraiya before spinning and disappearing further into the woods ignoring Jiraiya calling his name.

'I'll never trust anyone again' Orochimaru thought furiously wiping at the few tears that streamed down his cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Whoo! On to the second chapter. For the purpose of this story I'm going to say that Sasori was already in the Akatsuki. **

**Don't own anything but the plot.**

Orochimaru continued to run though the forest until a thought so powerful it brought him to a stand still went though his mind.

'Where do I go now?' he thought as he stood in the woods. He looked back towards Konoha and sighed softly.

"I can't go back home. I have no family. So what now?" he murmured looking towards the ground. His head snapped up suddenly as he felt an unfamiliar chakra coming towards him. He tensed and spun around flinging ten kunai into a near by bush. And spun on his heel and sent several snakes into another bush the moment he heard it rustle.

"Good but not good enough." an unfamiliar voice whispered in his ear just before his world went black and he fell lifeless to the ground.

"Ungh, where..? Orochimaru groaned trailing off as he began to sit up a little more and take in the small cell like room he was situated in. He frowned confusedly looking around a little more just then noticing he rested on a bed.

'Oh well that's nice, now I won't be uncomfortable while I'm a prisoner.' he thought sarcastically glaring down at the offending piece of furniture only to jump slightly as the door opened. Orochimaru looked up to see a little boy come into the room carrying a tray of food and drink.

Orochimaru watched him place the tray on a small table and carefully adjust the things on it. Taking in the bruises, cuts and rag like clothing.

'He's probably abused. Poor thing his glasses don't even fit him.' the sannin thought watching the boy jump as he shifted on the bed. Orochimaru smiled a reassuring smile at the four year old boy.

"Hi." Orochimaru said softly trying not to startle him. The boy looked up from under his silver bangs slowly as if dreading something. Orochimaru smiled a little wider and looked into the boys stunning dark almost black silver colored irises.

"What's your name?" Orochimaru questioned looking curiously at the child. The little boy looked up and managed a tiny smile.

"K..Kabuto." he whispered his voice soft, high pitched, and sweet every bit the voice of a small child. Orochimaru smiled at him and nodded.

"My name's Orochimaru." he said offering another smile. Kabuto looked at the sannin as if studying him then he nodded to himself.

'You're a sannin." he whispered looking up at him curiously. "How did you get here?" he then asked sounding a little more comfortable talking to him. Orochimaru frowned a little not missing the little boy's flinch.

"I'm not exactly sure, I was ambushed in the woods and I guess they brought me here." he said looking towards Kabuto, eyes widening when he saw Kabuto flinch and jerk slightly.

"Kabuto..?" he whispered trailing off when the little boy turned.

"I have to go." he said faintly turning and practically running from the room. Orochimaru stared at the door. 'What was that about?' he thought he went over to the tray to get a drink.

"What took you so long? I don't like to be kept waiting." a gravelly voice growled as Kabuto came into the room. Kabuto twitched suddenly becoming very frightened.

"I'm sorry, Sasori-sama." he whispered trying desperately trying to keep the fear and tears out of his voice. The puppet master simply ignored him and left the room. Kabuto sighed in relief and slid down the wall. Before he even touched the floor a tail shot out and wrapped tightly around the small boy cutting off his air supply. Kabuto stared terrified at Sasori.

"You're to look after the sannin. You bring him his meals and take the dishes back." he growled flinging Kabuto to the ground hard. Kabuto shakily pushed himself into a sitting position wiped some of the blood off his mouth and nodded. Sasori turned and left the room his scorpion like tail slamming the door.

Kabuto managed to push himself into a standing position and limp out of room heading towards Orochimaru's cell.

Orochimaru looked up when Kabuto came into the room sporting several large bruises and limping heavily.

"Kabuto are you okay?" He gasped getting off the bed and moving quickly to the child's side. The little boy flinched away when Orochimaru attempted to touch his cheek.

"I'm fine." Kabuto said automatically hating how he couldn't tell the man what was really going on, how he couldn't ask for the help he so desperately needed. Orochimaru frowned worriedly and gently examined the bruises ignoring Kabuto's flinching.

"These really don't look good." he said gently pressing on one only to have Kabuto cry out in pain and whimper.

Orochimaru frowned quickly realizing that there could be broken bones or internal bleeding. He glanced at Kabuto also frowning at the boys reaction and blank look.

"Kabuto, this happens often doesn't it?" he questioned gently glancing up to see Kabuto's large eyes beginning to water slightly. Kabuto then opened his mouth as if to answer but grimaced a little and closed it quickly.

Orochimaru nodded softly and moved back to the bed sitting on the edge thinking about how Kabuto doesn't seem to be able to answer him.

'The blank look and inability to answer all suggest mind control or brain washing. I have got to get him out of here." he thought glancing at the one very small window in the room. He glanced back at Kabuto who had begun to gather his dishes.

"So I'll see you again soon?" Orochimaru questioned gently as Kabuto headed towards the door. Kabuto looked back and managed to give a very pained nod and shut the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay sorry it's been so long since I last updated! I didn't realize it had been so long that and my laptop died. I'm going to start updating this story every Thursday!**

**By the way **

**''=thinking**

**I don't own Naruto.**

Orochimaru got up off the bed and moved to the window carefully examining the size of the window and sturdiness of the metal bars guarding it. 'Hmm, the bars aren't to strong I should be able to break them. I may be able to fit though this window and Kabuto definitely can. Now all I have to do is figure out a good plan to get Kabuto away without anyone noticing to quickly. ' he thought as he went back to bed and sat down.

'Hopefully Kabuto will come back soon and I can tell him my plan.' he thought as he laid back on the bed and sighed.

"Go take care of the prisoner!" Sasori shouted throwing Kabuto out the door and into the hall. Kabuto pushed himself up and swallowed dryly.

"Yes, Sasori-sama." the little boy whispered flinching as the door slammed in his face. Kabuto grimaced as he gingerly took a step on his sore leg gasping as it trembled then gave out sending him tumbling to the floor once again.

"I wish I could get away." he whispered softly to himself as he limped down the hall and to Orochimaru's cell.

Orochimaru sat up as Kabuto limped his way into the room. He immediately noticed Kabuto's odd gait and got off the bed and moved to Kabuto's side.

"Are you alright?" he whispered softly as he gently led the boy a his bed and sat him down looking at his hurt leg.

"I'll be okay." the child whispered looking downward and avoiding Orochimaru's gaze. Orochimaru nodded and looked down to examine Kabuto's badly bruised and swollen leg only to find all the swelling and bruises had disappeared in the moment he had looked up at Kabuto's face.

Orochimaru's eyes widened as he stared at the previously damaged limb then looked back up at Kabuto.

"How..?" he whispered looking into the boys dark eyes in a mixture of wonder and confusion. Kabuto smiled a little at him.

"I always do that. Anytime I get hurt it'll disappear after a little while." he whispered quietly. Orochimaru nodded and stored the information away for future thought. 'Might as well get on with asking him.' he thought.

"Kabuto do you like it here?" he asked carefully watching Kabuto's face for anything. Kabuto frowned slightly before shaking his head no and looking at Orochimaru curiously .

"Why do you ask?" he whispered softly refusing to make eye contact. Orochimaru smiled a little at the boy.

"I'm going to try to escape and I want to know if you will come with me." he murmured softly looking into Kabuto's pretty dark eyes. Kabuto gasped softly and nodded a little.

"I would like that." he whispered softly " but Sasori-sama would never let me leave."

Orochimaru smiled a little. "Which is why we'll sneak out." Kabuto frowned in thought. Then looked at Orochimaru quizzically.

"How will we do that though?" he questioned in a conspiratorial voice. Orochimaru smiled brightly at the child.

"We'll get out in the most obvious way possible." Orochimaru whispered softly gesturing to the window. Kabuto's eyes suddenly went wide and he gasped quietly.

"Kabuto?" Orochimaru whispered softly confused as to the boys sudden actions.

"He knows, He's coming." Kabuto gasped with visible effort turning quickly to leave the room.

Orochimaru grabbed his wrist and held the boy in place as he quickly made hand signs his fingertips lighting up purple.

"I'm afraid you won't be going back to your old master again." Orochimaru said gravely swinging one hand fore ward and catching the boy in the stomach. Kabuto gasped weakly in pain and collapsed into the sannin's waiting arms. Orochimarus head snapped around as he heard keys jingling in the lock.

"Stupid brat always getting into one mess or another." the puppet master grumbled as he gathered the keys and unlocked the door as the door swung open it revealed a empty cell with bent bars in front of the window. Sasori's eyes widened and he let out a grunt of annoyance.

"I'll kill him." Sasori snapped as he swung and left the room.

**Sorry its so short! Please review!**


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